Buffalo - Game Notes

TODAY’S GAME:

Tonight, the Buffalo Bisons travel to Louisville to begin a four-game series against the Bats at Louisville Slugger Field (7:05 p.m.). The Herd split the four-game series with the Toledo Mud Hens to begin the second half of the season. Buffalo has won six of their last nine games. After their series with the Bats, the Herd will continue on to Indy for a four-game set. vs.

THE BATS:

The Bisons are 2-2 against Louisville this year, as the teams split a four-game set at Coca-Cola Field, April 30 - May 3. Buffalo lost the season-series a year ago, 3-5. The Herd has a .543 winning percentage (50-42) against Louisville since returning to the IL in 1998.

FIGGY HONORED:

Today, RHP Nelson Figueroa was named IL Pitcher of the Week for the period of July 16-19. The All-Star threw a scoreless inning in the IL’s 6-5 win in the Triple-A All-Star Game. Figueroa then tossed a complete game shutout (7H, 5K) in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against Toledo. Figueroa is a perfect 6-0 in his last eight starts, with only nine runs allowed and 52 strikeouts over his last 56.1 innings of work. On the season, Figueroa’s 2.32ERA is the 2nd lowest in the IL (Carlos Torres, 2.20).

ON BROADWAY:

RHP Lance Broadway is coming off his best outing as a Bison. The righty threw a 9.0-inning complete game on July 8 against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In that outing, Broadway allowed just one run on seven hits while striking out five. The former #1 draft pick of the White Sox is now 2-3 with a 5.70ERA since coming over in a trade on May 31.

CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK:

OF Chip Ambres had a solid day in the batter’s box yesterday. The outfielder went 3-4 with three runs scored as well as two doubles on the day. The Bison slugger has a .400 batting average (8-20) with five RBI, three doubles, and two home runs in his last six games.

HEATING UP:

C Rene Rivera continues to swing a hot bat. In his last 13 games, the catcher has averaged .326 (14-43) with three doubles, three RBI and four runs scored. The solid stretch has raised his average 36 points to .252. On Saturday night, Rivera also won the Bisons annual Home Run Derby, besting teammates INF Javier Castillo and OF Chip Ambres with seven home runs.